Throughout my life I have spent a lot of time creating unrealistic body goals for myself. For a long time I was focused on dieting and felt that if I could just fit into a certain size or see a particular number on the scale then most of my problems would be solved.

It is safe to say I have done some growing since those days.

However it would feel like an eternity until I got to the point in my life, THIS point, where I feel absolutely grateful for the body I live in.

Let's face it, having a healthy body image in our younger years can be a challenge, but it doesn't necessarily get easier once we enter motherhood unless we put in the effort it takes to change it.

I have gone through a shift in thinking that has led to me embracing this momma bod of mine, along with all the quirks and changes that come along with it.

Today I pay much more attention to myself, how I feel, and all the ways this body has blessed me. I embrace and love this body.

And I am much happier for it.

If you are on a path to strengthening your self love and embracing your amazing momma bod, consider these three ideas:

1. Ditch the scale. If you want to feel rebellious liberation and take a huge step toward the loving embrace of your gorgeous momma bod, ditch the scale. Your body is a miraculous thing. Your heart beats without prompting, breathe moves through you without fail, and you move through everyday thanks to that body of yours. Release yourself from the burden of being defined by what is on a scale. It isn't telling you much. You already know what you need to know: your body is a blessing, not a number.

2. Replace negative self talk with positive thoughts. When you catch yourself saying, "Man, I could lose 5 pounds," or "Ugh, not looking forward to being in a bathing suit," exchange those thoughts for, "I am so proud of myself for fitting in that 2-mile walk after work," or, "I can not wait for all the fun we are going to have at the beach today!" We deserve better than to beat ourselves up with negative self talk. It is time to cut that out of our lives. make the effort to add more loving, positive self talk to your day.

3. Make choices that feel like you are honoring your body. Forget about thinking of healthy food choices with restriction and deprivation. That whole mindset can feel torturous and doesn't do much for making us feel embraced and loved. Instead, approach food choices with an end goal of feeling nourished and fueled. Go after foods that help you feel amazing. That is a mindset that comes from a place of self love and makes healthy eating so much easier.

This idea doesn't have to stop at food choices. Go ahead and make fitness choices, clothing choices, girls night out choices that feel like you are honoring your body when you make them. There is no limit to how you can apply this to your life. And no limit to how positive the impact can be.

Here is the point: your body is beautiful, strong, wondrous, and worth celebrating. If you were waiting for someone to come along and tell you so, consider yourself told. Now it is time for you to strengthen that belief for yourself.